A Child's Love
by SLPikachu
Summary: Sam and Cas are trying to find Dean. On the way to meet Sam, Cas is drawn to a mobile home where he finds a child hiding. Can this child be the help they need to bring back Dean? (Takes place in season 10 while Dean is still a demon. Probably won't follow the actual series, though) Complete!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Sam was headed for North Dakota, meeting Castiel there. Dean was there, somewhere, wanting Sam to let him go. But, Sam knew his brother better than anyone. He knew Dean wasn't a demon. It wasn't in his nature to be evil. It was his nature to fight evil. That was their job since ever.

Dean felt he was living. Having a blast, drinking and singing karaoke, badly. Sam tried with all his might to find his brother and convince him to come back. Dean just did not want to be found but, thankfully, Sam found him, anyway.

Castiel tried to help as much as he could. The angel wasn't getting anywhere, either. When Sam found Dean, Castiel agreed to meet him there as soon as something was checked out, first. Though he ended up with some strange sidestop that the angel wasn't sure why it led him there. It was strange enough that Castiel felt he needed to call the youngest Winchester.

Sam picked up on the third ring. "What's up, Cas?" he asked, into the phone.

"I found myself, distracted, to this mobile home, in Santa Fe," Castiel explained.

"Why?" Sam wasn't sure what a Santa Fe mobile home had to do with Dean. "That's out of the way."

"I'm unsure of why." Castiel walked around the mobile home. In one of the bedrooms, he found a couple with their throats slashed and blood everywhere. The air also reeked of sulfur. "Demons have been here," he declared, while still holding the phone up to his ear.

"Demons?" Sam questioned.

"Yes. Two people are dead, a man and woman." Castiel headed further, down the hall, to another bedroom. This one was smaller and had baseball decor and toys scattered everywhere, on the walls and floors. One would think a boy occupied the space, if it weren't for the few Barbie dolls.

"Are there any survivors, or is the place, completely, desolate?" Sam knew it couldn't have been his brother that had done that. Or, hoped, anyways.

"There is a child's room, but no sign of a child, anywhere."

"Maybe the kid managed to escape," Sam suggested, hopeful. He didn't want to think about the worse thing that could have happened to that child.

Castiel stepped inside and looked around. "I can't tell if the child is male or female," he observed.

Sam asked, "What do you mean?"

"There are cars, dragons, that sport you play with a stick. However, there are also dolls." Suddenly, the angel caught sight of the closet door, moving. He, cautiously, made his way over to it. "I detected movement."

"Be gentle, Cas. If it's the kid, they're probably already traumatized enough," Sam warned him.

Castiel agreed.

The angel approached the closet. "Who's there?" he asked.

A small hand appeared, pulling the door, more ajar. "Are you nice?" a small voice asked.

"Yes." Castiel made sure to keep his tone, gentle, as possible, considering how deep and rough it was. "What is your name?"

"C…J…"

"What did they say?" Sam asked.

"CJ. Is that really a name?" Castiel was confused why the child had given him, two letters instead of a name.

"It's probably a nickname the kid goes by," he guessed. "Find out how old they are."

Castiel turned back to the hand still showing. "How old are you?" he asked the child.

"Six."

He repeated it to Sam. "Should I try to bring the kid with me?"

"Well, find out if they have any other family," Sam suggested. This wasn't the best time to have a kid running with them. They had other stuff they had to deal with, they couldn't keep an eye on a little child.

Castiel asked the child about any other family.

"No. Just Mommy and Jimmy," the child squeaked out. Castiel assumed they were the couple in the other room. "Is Mommy okay?"

The angel didn't know how to answer that. "Your mom is dead," he said, flat out.

Sam hissed, "Castiel!"

He shrugged, "What?" unsure why Sam was scolding him.

"Did you have to say it, that bluntly? The kid is only six years old."

"How else should I have said it?"

"A little gentler, maybe." Sam sighed. "Try to bring the kid, here. I'll talk to them."

"What should I say?" he asked.

"Tell them…" Sam thought about it. "Tell them the truth. Kids at that age would believe in angels," he shrugged. "The kid might even think you're a guardian angel."

"But, I'm not."

"Well, yeah, but the kid doesn't need to know that. Just let'em think that," Sam told him.

Castiel hung up the phone and took a step, closer, towards the closet. "I won't hurt you. I'm an angel here to help."

"Jimmy says, angels aren't real," he heard the child say from behind the door.

"Well, we do. I want to take you somewhere safe. You have to trust me," he assured the child.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, but you need to come out."

The room grew quiet. Castiel waited to see if the child opened the door, the rest of the way. Time passed. He stood there for a good fifteen minutes, waiting.

"You'll be safer if you come with me." He caught the sight of an ear, with short, blond hair, overlapping the top of it. So, was it a boy?

"If you're an angel, where are your wings?"

"I don't have them, right now," he admitted. "But, I promise I am."

"Cross your heart?"

"What?" Castiel tilted his head. "Cross my heart?"

"Yeah, do you cross your heart?" the child asked.

"I don't understand."

"It means you promise," it replied.

"Oh, then, I cross my heart."

"Do it."

"Do, what?" he asked.

"Cross your heart."

"That's impossible," he told the child.

"No, it's not. Just draw an ima-gin-awry line over where your heart is, with your finger."

Castiel did not understand the child's ritual, but did it anyway. Anything to prove to it, he was what he said he was. The angel drew an imaginary line across his chest, with his finger. "There, I promise I am an angel."

The door was then opened, more. Standing there, was a small child, in jeans, with a tear in one of the knees and a Dodger's baseball jersey. On the child's head, Castiel could see a matching ball cap, with green eyes peering from underneath the bill, and light freckles all over their nose and upper cheeks.

"Hello, CJ," Castiel greeted now that the child was out of the closet.

"Hi. What's your name, Mr. Angel?"

"Castiel, but everyone calls me, Cas," he replied.

"You don't like your name?"

"I wouldn't say I dislike or like my name."

"Then, how come they call, you Cas, instead?" CJ asked, innocently.

"A friend of mine just started calling me, Cas and everyone else followed it," he shrugged.

"Oh. I like to be called CJ, because I hate my name."

"Why is that?"

"It sounds stupid."

"What is it?"

"Clara Jean. My mom gave it to me when I was born. Jimmy says it, a lot, especially when he's mad."

"Why do you call your father, Jimmy?"

"Jimmy isn't my dad. He's my mom's boyfriend."

"What happened to your father, then?"

CJ shrugged her small shoulders. "I never met him. Mommy only met him, once. He doesn't even know. Mommy wishes she could find him, but he's hard to find. So, Jimmy was supposed to take his place. Jimmy, kind of sucks at being a dad." She shook her head, "Please don't tell him I said something bad about him."

Castiel asked, "Why?"

"Because then I would have to get the spoon for him."

The angel looked at the child, confused. "The spoon?"

She nodded. "His dad used it on him, and his dad before him, and his dad before him."

"Used it?"

"It's real scary and hurts a lot," she explained to the angel.

"How can a spoon, hurt?"

"Jimmy hurts me, with it."

"Hurts you?"

CJ nodded. "Mommy never hurts me, just Jimmy. She cries when I make Jimmy, mad. She tries to talk him out of it, but he hits her, down."

"He hurts both of you?" Castiel looked alarmed the child was being hurt by another human. "Does he have black eyes?"

CJ shook her head. "No, he has blue eyes."

"So, Jimmy has, complete control of his body?" Castiel had heard of humans hurting others, but not to a defenseless child. He finally suggested they leave and turned around, to leave the room.

"Wait, can't I pack?" she called after him.

Castiel turned back around. "Uh, sure, I guess. But, make it, quick. We shouldn't stay here, long."

CJ hurried back to her closet and pulled out a baseball duffel bag. She dragged it out, and went to her dresser, pulling out a bunch of clothes. She packed the way a child would, shoving everything inside the duffel bag.

Castiel watched her, do so, including putting some toys inside, as well. She tried to make her favorite toys, fit, especially a baseball and glove. At this point, he couldn't tell and figured CJ was a boy, not knowing that she was actually a girl. With the short hair, it seemed most logical that CJ was a boy.

When she was all packed, CJ zipped it, closed, sitting on it so it would. She dragged it, by the straps, towards Castiel. "Okay. I'm ready."

"Here, let me carry that for you." Castiel reached down and picked up the duffel bag. Boy, did she pack. "Do you really need all this stuff?" he asked of her.

CJ nodded. "I need clothes and I only packed my favorite toys."

"You seem to have a lot of favorite toys, then."

"Oh." CJ hurried from the room, to the bathroom. She returned a few minutes later with a plastic basket of shampoo, bubble bath, a tooth brush, tooth paste, and floss. "This won't fit in there, so I can carry this," she showed him and ran back into the room, to the unmade bed where CJ grabbed a tan, fat stuffed dog, with a collar and a huge, black nose. "This is Doug," she told Castiel, holding the dog up to show the angel when she walked back over.

"It's nice to meet Doug, but we really should go." Without another word said, Castiel led the child back down the hall. He tried to stay on the side of the murder scene, but CJ still saw part of it, and unfortunately, it was the part with her mother.

She stopped in her tracks. Her mouth opened, but no words came.

Castiel stopped to look back. He could see the look of pure horror that traumatized the poor kid.

Tears filled her eyes.

He felt for the girl and offered to carry her, outside. CJ, clutching the stuffed dog to her chest and holding the basket in the other hand, allowed the angel to lift her up, in one arm. She latched onto his neck and cried into the crook of it. Castiel wasn't sure how to comfort the child. He remembered seeing a mother comforting a child in the park, once, when the kid scraped his knee. That was how he knew to pick her up, at least.

Castiel had to set the bag down, on the floor, to open the side door, before picking it back up, again, and made his way down the tiny porch steps. He carried CJ, over to where he had parked.

Setting the duffel bag back down, Castiel opened the side door, on the driver's side. He set the child on the seat, kneeling to her level, beside the car. "Are you okay?"

CJ nodded, staring at the floor, as she hugged her stuffed dog to her. The basket was now on the seat, next to her.

Castiel reached over to touch her shoulder. "I'm sorry you had to see that. I tried to walk between you and the room."

She didn't say a word.

Castiel decided to leave her to her own and placed her duffel bag in the trunk, before sliding in, under the wheel. He then started the car and pulled away from the curb, headed for North Dakota.

Occasionally, Castiel would check on CJ, through the rearview mirror, adjusting it the first time, so he had a good view. She didn't say a word, the whole way there. He tried to offer to turn on the radio since Dean taught him how to use it. CJ remained silent.

CJ did fall asleep for the last half of the trip, waking up the next morning, right before they pulled into the parking lot of the motel Sam was staying at. He stepped out of the car as Sam met him, outside.

"You got the kid?" Sam asked.

"Yes," he answered and looked back, towards CJ's window.

Sam squeezed past the angel, to open the car door. To a six-year-old, he looked really tall.

CJ jumped, scooting backwards, towards the other side of the backseat.

Sam held up his hands, "It's okay. I'm a friend of Cas," he assured her.

"Are you an angel, too?" she asked.

"No, I'm human, just like you. I won't hurt you, though, I promise."

Cautiously, CJ scooted towards him. She inched her way to the edge, sticking her feet out. While CJ was packing, she had slipped on some flip flops, child-sized.

"My name is Sam," he told her. "CJ, right?"

She nodded.

Sam also figured CJ was a boy. "Want to come inside and have something to eat?" he asked.

Again, she nodded.

He stood up, moving so CJ could slide out, offering his hand. Sam led CJ inside while Castiel brought in her duffel bag.

Once inside, Sam led her over to the table and offered a breakfast sandwich and hash browns from a fast food place, to her. While CJ ate her breakfast, Castiel told him what CJ had said, back at the mobile home, the day before.

Sam stared at him, in disbelief. "So, the kid was abused," he said, afterwards when Castiel was finished.

"I assume so. CJ didn't say anything about black eyes from the guy. When he called the man, Jimmy, I thought he meant my vessel, at first."

"Jimmy's a common name," Sam told him.

"So, what should we do with him?" asked Castiel.

"I don't know. I don't even know why I suggested bringing him with us. We have Dean to worry about."

"Um, excuse me." The men looked over at the little girl. CJ was standing on her legs, holding her sandwich. Doug sat beside her food, on the table, watching, its tongue hanging out.

"What is it, kiddo?" Sam asked, gently.

"Did you say, Dean?" she asked.

"Yeah, why?"

CJ climbed down from the chair and dashed across the room, to where Castiel had set it down, on one of the beds. She climbed up, on the bed, grabbing the comforter in her hands, to help pull her up. CJ, then climbed over to the bag, opening it. She pulled everything out until she pulled out a wooden music box.

"I don't remember her packing that box," Castiel said to Sam, a confused look on his face.

"It's my mom's. She lets me keep it in here so Jimmy can't find it," she informed him. CJ opened the box and began looking through papers, jewelry, and photos until she found what she was looking for. It looked like a photo.

Clutching it in her right hand, CJ climbed back down. She walked over to the men, holding out the picture, to them. "My mom said she had that taken when she and my dad met. I don't know him and he doesn't know about me, though, but Mommy says his name is Dean."

Sam took the photo from her, looking at it. Sitting at a bar, next to who he presumed to be CJ's mother, was none other than his brother, from six years ago. His mouth dropped.


	2. Chapter 2

_**First of all, I apology for the typos towards the end of the first chapter. They are fixed. Second, I am glad you like this. It's a short piece I'm doing, like three or four chapters. Thanks for reviewing and following!**_

Chapter 2

Sam's mind was spiraling out of control. It felt like a weird dream. Every time he looked at the photo in his hand, the same surprised feeling washed over him, like he was finding out for the first time. It was mind-boggling.

CJ watched the giant pace around the room, running his fingers, repeatedly, through his hair.

"Maybe this is a good thing," Castiel said, after watching for a real long time.

Sam stopped, to look over at the angel. "How is this a good thing?" he asked. "My brother has a son. That may usually be good news, but not for our lives."

"Maybe with having a son, we can use CJ, to get through to Dean," Castiel explained his reasoning.

CJ wondered what they meant when both Sam and Castiel kept calling her, a son. Being six, CJ wasn't familiar with nouns. At least, nouns like son.

Sam thought on the angel's suggestion. It sounded like a logical plan. "Dean was shaken up over Emma," he remembered a past hunt.

"Who's Emma?" Castiel asked.

He let out a sigh. "This isn't the first time Dean got a girl, pregnant."

Castiel stared at Sam. "Dean has other children?"

"He _had_ a daughter until I had to…you know…because she wasn't, exactly human." He looked from Castiel, to CJ, not wanting to say he had to off Emma, in front of a young child.

Castiel understood the hint.

Sam ran his hand through his hair, once more, as he let loose another sigh. "Dean really needs to start using protection."

"Protection from what?" Both Castiel and CJ asked the same question, in union. It seemed as if there were more than one child, in the room.

He pointed at Castiel, first, "I will explain later," and pointed over at CJ. "You, your dad can explain what that means, some day, when you're older."

"Is it about sex?"

Sam, nearly, choked on air. "What?" He couldn't believe the kid knew that word, already.

"You said I had to wait until I was older. Mommy wanted to, too, but I kept walking in on her and Jimmy, doing sex." The air, suddenly felt awkward and Sam was so red in the face, he looked like a tomato.

"Jimmy told me, things, too," she added and tried to share some details until Sam stopped her, right then and there. "Forget all that guy told you, CJ. You are way too young to know that. Your dad can redo the Talk when you're older, as I said."

"Um, okay." CJ didn't understand the problem, knowing about sex. Sam was starting to see her mother and her boyfriend may not have had boundaries, especially age appropriate ones.

A voice interrupted their conversation. "Hello, Bullwinkle." Their heads turned in the direction the voice came from. Standing there, was Crowley. "You miss me?"

"Is that another angel?" CJ asked.

"No, CJ, he's not," Sam glared the king of hell down. "He's opposite from an angel."

"You mean, like in cartoons when someone has a shoulder angel, and then somebody else, in red, appears on the other shoulder?"

"Something like that," he replied.

Crowley looked between Sam and the kid. "You babysitting, now?" he asked.

"We think it may be Dean's son," Castiel told him.

Crowley stood there, with one hand in his pocket. "Son? That's interesting."

Sam got right down to it. "What do you want, Crowley?"

"Nothing. I just came to tell you, you want to know where Dean is and I am going to give him to you," he replied.

Sam and Castiel looked at each other.

"What?" Neither one of them could believe it.

"Little pratt's bad for business," Crowley explained. "Uncontrollable. Must be the Mark. Anyway, Dean's your problem, now. Again, forever."

"Then, where is he?" Sam demanded.

"First, it a small matter of my finder's fee."

CJ asked, "Can't you tell us from the goodness of your heart?"

"He doesn't have a heart, CJ," Sam told her.

CJ looked over at him. "Then, how is he living if he doesn't have a heart? Is it because he's the op-poe-sit of an angel?"

"Basically."

"Oh." She turned back to Crowley. "Meanie Head." CJ stuck her tongue out at the demon.

Crowley let loose a breath of air. "This is why I hate children," he muttered.

Sam smirked, "What's the matter, Crowley? Feeling intimidated by a six-year-old?"

Crowley eyed the tall hunter. "Do you want to know where Dean is, or not?"

Once Crowley said what he needed to say, he left. Sam and Castiel came to a decision to bring CJ along. Even though it could have been dangerous, Sam knew he needed proof to show his brother he had a child.

CJ rode in the backseat of the Impala, holding Doug on her lap.

Sam glanced up at her, through the rearview mirror. "What's your dog's name?" he asked, trying to make small talk.

"His name is Doug," she answered, looking face to face with it. CJ held onto its nose.

"Huh. Doug, huh. Interesting name."

She shook her head. "I didn't name Doug. That's what he's called in his movie."

"Oh, got ya," he nodded, in understanding. "What movie is Doug from?"

CJ hugged the stuffed dog to her chest. "He's from _Up_."

"Don't think I heard of that one."

"We could watch it if I didn't forget it at my house." CJ frowned at the thought of forgetting her favorite movie.

Sam shrugged. "Maybe we can get you another copy of the movie."

CJ brightened up at the sound of that. "Okay," she agreed. Things were quiet for a short while until CJ asked, "Is my dad, nice?"

Sam smiled up at her. "Very nice. Nicest guy you would ever meet."

"Would he play baseball with me?" she continued to ask.

"I bet he would if you asked him."

Her eyes lit up like it was Christmas morning. "Do you really think so?"

He nodded. "Sure. Your dad used to play when he was a kid. I was more into soccer, but now and then he and I would play catch."

CJ frowned, again. "Jimmy says, baseball is only for guys. So, he never let my mom sign me up for Tee ball."

Sam looked at CJ, confused. "I don't understand," he said.

"Girls are not supposed to like baseball because Jimmy says it's a guy's sport," she explained.

"Wait. Are you saying, you're a girl?"

Now, it was her turn to look confused. "Did you think I was a boy?"

Sam felt, badly. "Kind of. I'm sorry, CJ."

"It's okay," she assured her uncle. "Was it because of my hair?"

"Yeah, plus the hat and the way you're dressed," he said.

"I like wearing boy clothes and Jimmy cut my hair this way."

"How come he did that?" he asked. "Did you get gum stuck in your hair, or lice?"

CJ shook her head. "No. He said if I was gonna dress like a boy, then I should look like one. So, he cut my hair like this. Mommy tried to fix it and was mad at him, for doing it. Jimmy just yelled at her and they started fighting. I held the ice pack for her."

"Jimmy wasn't a very nice guy, huh?" Sam tried to show his niece some sympathy.

She shook her head. "He has this big, wood spoon and every time I make him, mad, he would tell me to go get it. It really hurts."

Sam watched as CJ held her stuffed dog in a tight hold, looking like she might cry. "I'm sorry, CJ," he told her.

"He also used to snap me in my head, like," CJ flicked herself on the side of her head, knocking backwards, against the seat. "Sometimes he would be nice and we would laugh."

"Yeah? So, was it just when he was in a bad mood?"

She nodded. "Yeah. He would tease me, too. Sometimes, it was funny. Not all the time. Jimmy can take it too far and say mean things."

"Like what?" Sam asked.

CJ thought on it. "Like, how I'm stupid, because I'm behind the rest of my class. Or, if I say something, Jimmy would laugh at me."

"Well, it sounds like Jimmy is a jerk," he finally concluded.

"Yeah," she agreed.

"If you're not doing well, in school, it doesn't mean you're stupid. Sometimes, it just takes someone longer to grasp what they are learning. Everyone learns at different speeds," Sam told her. "I can help you with your homework, every night. We can set time aside, for studying. Okay?"

"Okay," she agreed.

"And, whatever Jimmy told you, ignore it. You seem like an amazing, bright kid, CJ," he added.

"Thank you," CJ thanked him.

Sam smiled up at her, "You're welcome."

Eventually, Sam pulled into the parking lot of a bar and parked. He stepped out, so he could let CJ out, as well, closing it behind her.

"Where are we?" she asked.

Sam squatted to his niece's level. He looked off to the side, his eyes squinting from the bright, North Dakota sun. "A while ago, your dad ran away," he explained. Sam looked down, at the ground. "Cas and I, we've been trying to find him." Finally, he looked up at CJ. "We feel if your dad knows you're here, he'll feel better and come home."

"Why did he run away? Did you have a fight?"

Sam glanced at the ground, "It's complicated, CJ. I'm not even sure if I would be able to explain it to you. I'm just hoping you can help."

"Me, too. I want a dad, ed-specially my dad. Mommy would want that, too."

Sam forced a smile, that time. He hoped this would work out. If he felt strongly about Emma, then he should feel the same way about CJ. "Come on," he said over a whisper and stood up. Sam led her, inside, where they heard someone playing the piano. Telling her to stay back, he went ahead.

It was Dean, hitting a few keys. He set the First Blade down, on top of the piano. "Hiya, Sam." Dean looked up and smiled at his brother.

Sam took a deep breath in, embracing himself.

Dean had told one of the bartenders to go take a cigarette break, leaving it to what he presumed, just the two of them. "Who winged ya?"

"Does it matter?" he asked, in return, instead of a real answer.

"Not really," Dean shook his head. "I told ya to let me, go." He reached for a glass, sitting on the piano.

"You know I can't do that." Sam, quickly, added, "by the way, your, uh, _pal_ , Crowley, sold you out."

Dean had taken a drink, and set the glass back down, in its place. "Sounds like him." He stood to his feet, grabbing the First Blade.

Sam stopped him. "Dean, hold on a sec." He raised his hand up, towards his brother. "You don't have to do this. We know how to cure demons. You remember that?"

He walked away, towards the bar. "A little Latin. A lot of blood. It rings a bell. Ever stop to think, if I wanted to be cured, I wouldn't have bailed."

Sam shrugged, turning around to follow after with his eyes. "That was Crowley."

"It really wasn't." Dean poured himself another drink.

CJ saw it. Recognized the liquid, even. She couldn't help herself and stepped away from her hiding place. "You drink aw-co-hal, too?"

Dean looked over at the kid. His head shot towards his brother. "Who's the kid? Why is he here?"

Sam took another deep breath, this time, through his nose. "Cas found her, after her mother and boyfriend were killed by demons," he explained.

"That doesn't answer the second question as to why she's here," he pointed out. "What? You thought I would give in if some random kid asked me to come back? That's low, Sammy." Dean took another drink.

"You might, if I told you she's yours."

The minute the words came out, Dean choked and spewed liquid out of his mouth. He stared at his brother. "What?"

Sam pulled out the photo he still hadn't given back to CJ, and held it up, to show Dean. "Recognize this woman?"

"Sam, I've been with so many women. What makes you think I'd remember one of them?" he asked of him.

"Her name is Amy Pellman," CJ told him.

"Sorry, doesn't ring a bell," Dean shrugged.

CJ reached up to remove her cap, now showing the rest of her hair. It was, definitely, the same shade of blond as his. "Are you sure? She has brown hair and very beautiful."

"That doesn't even cut it down, to, like half, kid." Dean took a drink.

"I wanted to meet you for a long time. Mommy tried to find you, but you're hard to find. She wanted to tell you about me since I was in Mommy's tummy," she told her father.

Dean looked back at the little girl.

"I'm not messy and I've been potty trained since I was three." She took a step forward, making Sam, nervous. "I like baseball, just like you did when you were a kid. Please come home? I promise not to be a pain." Dean saw a puppy dog look starting to appear, like her uncle would do.

Dean stared at the floor, switching between CJ.

"Remember Emma?" Sam reminded him. "You seemed messed up over that. Well, here's your chance." He held his free hand out, towards CJ. "From what CJ's already told me, she's had it rough. Having to deal with an abusive bastard, who took his frustrations out on her and her mother. Don't you want to give the kid what Dad should have done for us? For you?"

"Please, Daddy?"

Dean perked up when CJ called him, Daddy. It made him feel something, again. He looked over at Sam, "How do we know if the kid is even mine? Her mother could have, you know, been with other guys around the same time."

"Look at her, Dean," Sam told his brother. "She's the spitting image of you, her hair, short like that, even helps show it."

Dean looked back at CJ. He wanted, so badly, for it to be true. That he could be a dad. He had thought Ben was his, too, but turns out, he wasn't. Who's to say, CJ was the same case?

"Okay, what if I said, maybe we can prove it?" Sam finally decided. "Then, will you let us take you, home and cure you of this?"

"And, how are you gonna do that? Hm?" he smirked at his brother. "Are we gonna go on _Jerry Springer_ or _Maury_?"

"I seen a hospital, not too far from here. If you can provide me, a DNA sample, I will take CJ there and we can bring back the results."

"Okay then."

Sam released his tensed shoulders, in relief. "Really?"

Dean shrugged. "If the kid happens to be mine, I will let you cure me. Deal?"

Sam nodded. "Deal."


	3. Chapter 3

_**This is the last chapter. At least for this story. It's short and sweet. I will probably write another one, of just moments between the guys and CJ, including Cas. Just want to end it, here, for now.**_

Chapter 3

Sam and CJ waited out in the waiting room, for the results to come back. Sam tried to flip through a magazine, to keep from going insane from the wait, but he couldn't help feel anxious. Sam really wanted his brother back.

CJ sucked on a flat, red lollipop, the doctor had given her, for being good while she scraped the inside of the kid's mouth, with a cotton swab. She held her knees up, towards her, hanging her feet off the edge of the chair. Finally, she sat up, to lean on the arm, between her and Sam.

"Do you think your brother isn't my dad, after all?" she asked.

Sam looked from the magazine, to his niece. "Hey," he said, softly. "I meant what I said, back there. When you took off your hat, I could see how much you look like him. And that haircut helped." He smiled for her. "At least, what that stupid Jimmy did, came in, handy for something."

CJ smiled. "You really think I look like him?"

He nodded. "One hundred percent."

"Then, I hope he is my dad."

Sam gave another smile, before returning to the magazine, in his lap.

CJ wasn't finished, though. "Does he always drink?"

He looked back up. "What do you mean, sweetheart?"

"I saw him pour a drink like I saw Jimmy do. Does he do that, a lot?"

Sam gave her a sorrowful look. "Yes. But, I stand by what I said in the car. Your dad wouldn't hurt you, I promise. He's not like Jimmy."

"Promise?"

"I promise," he said.

"Cross your heart?"

"Cross my heart."

"Do it," CJ told Sam the same thing she had Castiel do.

He asked, "Do what?"

"Cross your heart," she replied.

Sam made an X over where his heart was. "There, cross my heart. I promise your dad won't hurt you," he gave her a reassuring smile.

"Okay," she said, and added, "you do it better than Cas did it."

Sam let out a laugh. "Oh, I do, do I?"

CJ laughed, too.

The doctor finally came out, calling for them. Sam leaped to his feet, hurrying over to her. She gave him the news he wanted to hear.

"It's a match, sir. Congratulations."

Sam thanked her before the doctor turned to head back through the doors. He felt so relieved.

CJ stood up, walking over to him. "So, is your brother my dad?" she asked, wanting to know, too.

Sam turned around. "Yup. He is your dad just like I thought."

CJ cheered, excited. "I have a dad! I have a dad!" She ran around the waiting room, telling everyone there, "I have a dad!"

Sam couldn't help chuckle. "Alright, CJ. We still have to get your dad, home and cured." They left the hospital, to head back to the bar, where Dean was and told him the news. Well, CJ was the one to burst through the door and shout it out to him. Thankfully, Dean kept his promise.

Sam had CJ ride back to the bunker with Castiel, while he handcuffed Dean in the backseat, just to be sure. Dean was a demon, after all. Sam wanted to make sure the promise was kept. On the way, they stopped for dinner, since CJ was hungry, getting it to go. Sam paid for both cars.

During the drive, Dean had finally spoke. "What's the letters stand for?" he asked Sam.

"What letters?"

"The kid's name."

Sam shrugged. "Dunno. I hadn't thought to ask, yet."

"How old is she?"

"Six." Sam looked at his brother, through the rearview mirror. He had adjusted it since Dean was sitting on the opposite end from where CJ sat and a lot taller.

Dean stared down at his feet. Even being a demon, he couldn't shake the warm feeling that was fighting to surface.

It was mid morning when Sam and Cas pulled up to the bunker and parked outside. Sam showed CJ to where the rooms were, letting her decide which one she wanted. She asked which one was her dad's and chose the one right across from his.

Sam left CJ alone, to unpack and decorate her room, anyway she wanted. He also told her to keep the door shut, no matter what she heard and that he needed to leave on an errand, leaving Castiel in charge.

CJ spent the day, unpacking. First, she opened her duffel bag, throwing everything back out, onto the floor. Laying each piece of clothing on the tiled floor, she folded it the way her mom used to do. It wasn't, perfectly like the way her mom did it. CJ tried at least. After a while, she grew bored of trying to fold them all and tried to stuff everything into the drawers of the dresser.

The baseball she went over to set on the nightstand, beside the bed. Sam and Dean had made the extra beds in case someone needed a place to stay. The ball rolled from the spot she placed it, so CJ had to keep moving it back. She tried to place it against the lamp, but it didn't stop it from rolling the other way.

After a few attempts, CJ went over to grab her glove, placing the ball inside it and placed the glove on the spot.

Sam had returned, a few hours later. He checked on CJ, first, who was setting up the toys she had brought with her, on the floor. "Doing alright, in here?" he asked, poking his head in.

"Yeah, I'm just putting my train set, together. Cas says, he was making me a sandwich."

"Okay. Just let him know if you need anything. Your dad and I will be busy for the rest of the afternoon." Sam left, again.

It took a couple hours to get the train set, set up the way she wanted it, and played with her wooden, magnetic trains for a while. Waiting was hard for a little kid like CJ.

Screams started echoing throughout the bunker. Even with Dean's willingness to cooperate, it wasn't an easy path. The treatment was painful. CJ couldn't help feel scared, hugging Doug to her.

The demon part still had some fight in him. Dean tried to stick through it, for his daughter's sake. He also knew there could be a chance this could kill him, and some things got said. Sam told his brother and himself, it was just the demon talking. Dean did want this, and if trudging through the pain was what it took, it was a risk they would take.

Some time around dinner, the bunker grew quiet. The screams and the roars died down.

CJ was sitting, cross-legged, on her bed, holding Doug, tight. The music box was open, in front of her, with its contents scattered around her. She stared at a photo in her hands, of her and her mom, smiling, together.

Eventually, a knock disturbed CJ's thoughts. It opened, shortly and Dean walked in.

"Mind if I come in?" he asked.

CJ looked in his direction. "Are you all better?" she asked, and scooted towards the edge of the bed, still holding onto Doug.

Dean walked over, slowly taking it, step by step. "Yeah, all better." He squatted to her level, in front of CJ. "Sorry we had to meet under these circumstances."

"It's okay," she forgave her dad.

He couldn't help smile at the floor. Dean looked up. "So, CJ, huh?"

She nodded. "I don't like my name, so please don't call me, it."

"May I ask what CJ stands for?"

"If you promise not to call me, it," CJ wagered.

"I promise," he told her.

"Cross your heart?" she asked.

Dean repeated, "Cross my heart."

"You have to do it," CJ told him.

"Do what?"

"Cross your heart."

"Okay." Dean then drew an imaginary line over his chest, "Cross my heart."

She let out a sigh, "You suck at this like Cas does."

He laughed. "Why is that?"

"Only Sam drew an X, like you're supposed to."

"Oh, well, I'm sorry, then. Can I still know?"

CJ hesitated. Finally, she said, "My name is Clara Jean. I hate it."

"Why? I think that's a beautiful name, for a beautiful, little girl."

CJ looked back at her dad. "Even with my hair like a boy's?" she asked, removing her cap.

Dean reached up, to comb his fingers through her hair. "Some girls actually keep their hair, this short and can pull it off. I think you're doing a wonderful job at it.

CJ looked down, at the floor, frowning. Out of the corner of her left eye, she saw her dad's arm where Sam had poked him, a few times. "Did you have to get shots?" she asked.

Dean looked over at what his daughter was referring to. His hand was holding onto the bed, for balance. "Yeah, 'fraid so."

"I hate getting shots."

Dean couldn't help, smirk, in agreement. "So do I, kiddo."

CJ, fully, looked back at her dad, setting Doug on the bed. "I wish Mommy were here. She wanted this, too." Dean saw her eyes drop, towards the floor. He let go of the bed, to lift her up, as he stood, taking her spot.

Dean leaned back, against the headboard. "I'm here, now. Okay?" he told her. "I'm sorry you had to lose your mom. I lost mine when I was a little younger than you. I know how much that feels."

CJ held her head against his chest. "I miss her." Her voice broke, as her eyes filled up with tears.

Dean hugged CJ's head to him. He held a kiss on the top of it.

Sam appeared in the doorway, leaning against its frame. His free hand was hanging out of his pocket. "How she doing?" he asked.

It was CJ who answered. She lifted her head. "I'm hungry."

Sam grinned, snickering to himself. "She's all yours, Dean," he teased his brother.

Dean smiled at that, as well.

"Should I go get us some burgers, and maybe tomorrow, we can go do the grocery shopping?" asked Sam.

"I don't want another burger. Can I have a bur-wee-toe?" CJ asked.

"Mexican food, then?" Sam corrected himself.

Dean shrugged, "Sure, why not. But, you're sitting on the far side of the table," he pointed over at his brother.

CJ lit up. "You fart, too?" she asked Sam.

"Too? Oh, no. Not you, too," Dean moaned.

She nodded up at her dad and looked back at her uncle. "We can have fart contests!"

"That is inappropriate." Castiel was standing behind Sam, right next to him. "And, gross."

"It's fun," she countered the angel's statement with.

"How is flatulence fun?"

CJ pushed a loud one out. "Because it is," was her conclusion.

"Oh, God!" Dean turned his head away when the smell hit his nostrils. "CJ, that stinks."

It just made CJ laugh, which Sam couldn't help hold back a smile.

"You're both sitting on the far side of the table while we eat."

CJ jumped on her dad, wrapping her arms around him. "I love you, Daddy," she told him.

Dean was taken aback, at first. But, once he realized what was going on, he wrapped his own arms around her. "I love you, too, CJ."


End file.
